Mellor St Mary CE Primary School

Special Educational Needs & Disability

(SEND) Policy

“Believing, Learning and Sharing Together .”

Policy for Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

  At Mellor St Mary CE Primary School we believe that each and every one of us are special because we are made in the image of God and we must avoid at all cost diminishing the dignity of any individual to a stereo type or a problem.

Our teaching and learning ethos is underpinned by the scripture ‘ For with God nothing shall be impossible’ (Luke 1:37) and we believe that every child has the right to reach their full potential, no matter what their starting point in life may be. This policy has been created to ensure that all our pupils are able to reach their full potential by living life in all its fullness.

Introduction

The School’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) is Mrs J. Embley-Peers

(Headteacher/SENCO). Email: head@mellor.lancs.sch.co.uk    Telephone:  01254 812581

The school receives additional support from AYDSS Specialist Teacher Claire Ashton on a half termly basis.

This policy should be read in conjunction with Keeping Children Safe in Education, Respecting All Policy, Equal Opportunity Policy/Statement, Behaviour and Anti Bulling Policy, as well as Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies.

This policy explains how Mellor St Mary CE Primary School makes provision for pupils with SEND, in line with our school ethos and with current legislative requirements (SEND Code of Practice 2014, Equality Act 2010).

 Parents requiring further information about provision for SEND in the school should, in the first instance, talk to their child’s class teacher or contact the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) or Headteacher.

The school’s Local Offer provides much greater detail on the context of the school and the provision for children with SEND and should be read in conjunction with this policy.  The local Offer is available from the school office and the school’s website:  www.mellor.lancs.sch.uk

At Mellor St Mary CE Primary School we believe that every teacher is a teacher of every child including those with SEN.

Policy Aims

At Mellor St Mary we value all children equally and encourage everyone to try their best to reach their true potential.  We are committed to meeting the Special Educational Needs of all our pupils and ensuring they are able to make the necessary progress to help them to live life in all its fullness.    

Our children will have access to a broad, balanced curriculum which includes the Early Years Foundation Stage, National Curriculum and Religious Education Curriculum.  All children will have the opportunity to participate in the full life of the school.  We promote hard work and feeling of self-worth with all our pupils.

Policy Objectives

In order to achieve our aims we will:

• Ensure that pupils participate in their learning and increase their responsibility for their learning and behaviour as they move through school.
• Ensure good working relationships with parents, carers and the community.
• Ensure that the school offers a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum which is accessible to pupils with SEND and promotes high standards of attainment and achievement.
• Ensure that the learning needs of pupils with SEND are identified and assessed as early as possible and their progress is closely monitored.
• Provide a SENCo who will work with the SEND Policy
• Ensure all teaching and non-teaching staff are involved in planning and meeting the needs of SEND pupils.
• Ensure that the school liaises with Local Authority support services, special schools and other outside agencies effectively to meet the needs of staff and pupils.

Identifying Special Educational Needs

The identification of SEND is built into the overall approach to monitoring the progress and development of all pupils through the school’s Policy on Teaching and Learning;

It is really important that the school identifies pupils who experience difficulties accessing learning and general school life opportunities early.  This is achieved through continual use of classroom observations and assessments of all pupils.  Progress is tracked on a termly basis and where appropriate, more frequently than this.  The SENCo liaises closely with the Deputy Headteacher to analyse data and individually track pupils who are experiencing difficulties.

Class teachers discuss any concerns with the SENCo /Headteacher.  If further action is deemed necessary, the parents are informed immediately.  All criteria for defining Special Educational Needs are in accordance with Lancashire Education Authority policy.

Despite appropriate Quality First Teaching, intervention and differentiated learning experiences, taking into account the child’s age and stage of development triggers for identification of a Special Need could be:

• Little or no progress made even when a multi sensory approach to teaching and learning is used to improve the child’s identified area of need.
• Working continues at levels significantly below those expected for a child of a similar age in certain areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage or in English or mathematics skills resulting in poor attainment in some framework or curriculum areas.
• Communication or interaction difficulties, which create barriers to learning and specific interventions, are needed.
• Social, emotional or mental health problems, which are not improved by the techniques normally employed in the nurturing environment of the school.
• Sensory or physical problems create barriers to progress despite the provision of personal aids or specialist equipment

If, following several weeks of additional support the child continues to experience difficulties the school may, with parental permission, seek the advice of external agencies such as the Psychology and Support Services, the Inclusion and Disability Support Service (IDSS) or similar.  Additionally, some children may receive support from our National Health Service colleagues e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, School Nurse etc.  Any plans shared with the school by these agencies are carried out by staff within the school in liaison with the appropriate agency.

Factors which are NOT SEN but may affect a child’s progress and attainment are taken into consideration and adaptations are made accordingly.  These may include:

• A disability under the Equality Act 2010 – all reasonable adjustments will be made in order that they can access the full curriculum.  
• Attendance and Punctuality
• Health and Welfare
• English as an Additional Language (EAL)
• Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant (PPG)
• Being a Looked After Child (CLA)
• Being a child of Serviceman/woman

Persistent disruptive or withdrawn behaviour does not necessarily mean that a young person has SEND.  Any concerns over a pupil’s mental health and behaviour will be investigated on the premise that the behaviour is an underlying response to a need.  This may be a learning difficulty or another factor as noted above. School staff will endeavour to recognise and quickly identify the reasons for the behaviour and take all reasonable steps to address the root cause.

A graduated approach to SEND support:  Assess – Plan – Do - Review

The key principles:

• All class teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants of specialist staff.  All children are included in all lessons through an ethos of Quality First Teaching which is adapted to respond to their strengths and needs, as set out in the Teachers’ Standards (2012).
• High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND.  However, despite this, some children need additional help to make progress in their learning.
• Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
• Pupils are only identified as SEND if they do not make adequate progress once they have been given good quality personalised teaching, access to adaptations and intervention and completed in house SEND assessments.
• Pupils who join school (either from an Early Years setting or another Primary School) with an already identified SEND will be catered for in the same way as those identified by this school.
• When planning work for children with Special Educational Needs, teachers give due regard to information and targets contained in the children’s Individual Education Plans (IEP/POPs) now called SEND Support Plans and/or Pupil Overview Provision.  Additionally, teachers modify teaching and learning as appropriate for children with disabilities.

Provision and Provision Mapping

• The provision which the school makes is fully detailed in the school’s Local Offer which is available from the school office or on the website:  www.mellor.lancs.sch.uk
• Provision for any pupil with an existing Statement of Special Educational Needs in accordance with their Statement.  The Local Authority is in the process of converting Statements to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC) plans.  Parents of pupils with Statements can find more information about this at www.lancashire.gov.uk/SEND
• Any additional provision for all children (whether or not they have SEND) is carefully recorded (‘mapped’) by the Senior Leadership Team/SENCo.  The cost of all such provision is calculated based on the pro-rata cost of the allocated time for the member of staff delivering the provision (for internally sourced provision) or on actual billed costs (for external providers for specialist resources purchased).  Concurrently, the progress of all children who are receiving additional provision is carefully tracked.  This information is then scrutinised by the Senior Leadership Team/SENCo to ensure that the effectiveness and efficiency of provision is maximised.
• Pupils will have access to this provision on an evidenced-needs basis and we will endeavour to ensure all pupils’ needs are fully met.  However, occasionally we may identify that we are unable to fully meet the needs of a pupil through our own provision arrangements.  In these circumstances, an assessment of the unmet needs would be carried out through the Early Help Assessment process which would involve parents, pupils and all agencies involved in the pupil’s care.  More information on this can be found on the Lancashire County Council website:
• http://lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5943&pageid=43530&e=e
• As a result of the Early Help Assessment, parents and a multi-agency team may decide that school should apply for a Statutory Integrated Assessment of a pupil’s needs i.e. apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan). 
• Further information on this process may be found at www.lancashire.gov.uk/SEND

Supporting Pupils and families

• The local Authority’s Local Offer (Regulation 53, Part 4) may be found at www.lancashire.gov.uk/SEND This links back to the school’s Local Offer which details how the school works with and supports families of pupils with SEND.  It also details other arrangements such as access to Statutory Assessment Tests (SATs) and transition to high schools.
• Parents and carers are valued and their contribution in terms of identification and support for pupils with SEN is fully recognised.  Parents and carers are always welcome to discuss any matter relating to their child’s progress.  The arrangements to keep parents informed about matters relating to SEND (as described in the policy), are additional to the standard methods of reporting and consulting available to all parents.
• The schools’ statutory SEN Information Report (Regulation 51, Part 3, section 69(3)(a) of the Act) will be updated and placed on the school website in the summer term.
• Pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disability will be admitted to school in line with the school’s admissions policy.  The school is aware of the statutory requirements with regard to SEND and will meet these requirements.  The school will use induction meetings to work closely with parents to ascertain whether a pupil has been identified as having Special Educational Needs or a Disability.  If the school is alerted to the fact that a pupil may have SEND, we give our best endeavours to collect all relevant information and plan a relevant differentiated curriculum. 

Supporting Pupils at school with Medical Conditions

• The school recognises that pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education.  Some children with medical conditions may be disabled and where this is the case the school will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.
• Pupils who have medical needs may require intervention and support from staff in school and will have a Care Plan written for them, in liaison with the Health Service and the parents.  This ensures a safe, agreed set of principles and procedures to ensure the pupil’s needs are fully met and all health and safety arrangements have been addressed.  If appropriate, a Medical Information Card with the pupil’s photograph, stating emergency procedures and contact details will be included in the front of the class register and in the first aid room.  Further details will be held in a secure location in the school office /  Headteacher’s office.
• Some pupils may also have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and may have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision and the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is followed.  Provision will be made from these pupils in accordance with their EHC plan.
• The School’s policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions can be obtained from the school office.

Children looked after (CLA) by the Local Authority

• Pupils who are looked after by the local authority may require intervention and support from staff in school and will have a Care Plan written for them, in liaison with the Social Services.

Monitoring and evaluation of SEND

• The SENCo reports annually on the efficient and effective use of resources for pupils identified as having SEND.
• The monitoring and evaluation of progress of pupils with SEND is detailed in the Graduated Approach section (above).
• For pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan, annual reviews (6 monthly for under 5s) are carried out in accordance with the appropriate legislation and the SEND Code of Practice.
• The SENCo and Headteacher collect and analyse tracking data for all pupils on the SEND register and use this, in conjunction with information gathered from other sources (SEND learning walks, professional dialogue, discussions with pupils and parents etc) to inform the evaluation of the effectiveness of the provision.
• The SENCo meets with the Headteacher and SEN Governor once per term and they jointly produce a report on the quality and effectiveness of SEND provision.
• As part of the School Development Plan, the SENCo produces an annual action plan and updates progress against this on a termly basis.

Training and Resources

• The overall level of funding (the Notional Budget) for SEND is delegated to the school by the LA and is identified in the school budget statement.  This amount is not ring-fenced;
• The responsibility for determining the amount of resource for SEND lies with the school Governors who will seek advice from the Headteacher;
• The resources for SEND are used to provide teaching assistants, specific training on SEND and specialist resources.  The costs of the SENCo are met from the main school budget;
• The Headteacher has the key responsibility for determining the allocation of these resources in consultation with the senior management and the rest of the staff;
• In order to maintain and develop the quality of teaching and provision to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils, all staff are encouraged to undertake training and development.  All teaching staff and teaching assistants will be provided with general or specific training on meeting the needs of SEND within their classrooms.  The SENCo regularly attends local SENCo network meetings in order to keep up to date with local and national updates in SEND.
• Whole school training on SEND is arranged as appropriate and teaching assistants are invited.  This may be delivered by the SENCo or by specialist services.
• There is an expectation that staff who receive training will disseminate their knowledge to others to benefit all working in SEND.
• All permanent/long term teachers and support staff undertake induction on taking up a post and this includes a meeting with the SENCo to explain the systems and structures in place around the school’s SEND provision and practice and to discuss the needs of individual pupils.
• The School’s SENCo attends the Local Authority’s SENCo Cluster meetings in order to keep up to date with local and national updates in SEND.  Where possible we network with other local schools to share training opportunities and resources.

Roles and Responsibilities

• The Governors must have regard for the Code of Practice (Children and Families Act 2014, part 3) when carrying out their duties towards all students with SEND
• The Governors and Headteacher are responsible for the school’s policy and approach to meeting students’ Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• The Headteacher is the school’s “responsible person” and manages the school’s special educational needs work.  The headteacher will keep the Governing Board informed of the SEND provision made by the school.
• The SENCo is responsible for keeping a register of pupils with SEND and updating this; supporting teachers in writing Individual Education Plans (IEP/POPs)/ SEND Support Plans and assessing pupil progress;  purchasing and organising resources;  Liaising with external agencies;  making referrals;  ensuring that appropriate records are kept;  supporting the transition of pupils with SEND into the school and into high school;  Liaising with the SEN Governor and preparing appropriate reports;  liaising with non-teaching staff in relation to SEN.
• Teaching Assistants are a valuable part of the support for students with SEND.  They work under the direction of the class teacher to deliver targeted 1:1 teaching, as detailed in a child’s IEP/POP/SEND Support Plan and focused in-class support whilst encouraging independence. 

Storing and Managing Information

• Paper documents relating to children with SEND are stored in a locked cupboard in school. Some documents such as IEP/POPs /SEND Support files and monitoring forms are kept in the classroom SEND file and stored in the teacher’s cupboard.  Electronic documents such as IEP/POPs are held on the school’s server in an area which is only accessed by teachers through a programme called CPOMS. Records relating to children who have left are passed to the new school as soon as it is practical.

Reviewing the Policy

• This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis.  The process of review will involve the Headteacher, SENCo, the SEND Governor and the Resources Committee.  Review of the policy will take into account:
  •    The progress made by pupils with SEND in school
  •    The success of the school at including pupils with SEND
  •    Any recommendations from Ofsted or the LA about improving practice
  •    Any factual changes, such as names of personnel.

Accessibility

• The school’s accessibility plan is available from the school office
• Further detail on the school’s accessibility (including curriculum, written and physical accessibility) can be found in the school’s Local Offer
• School operates an Open Door policy so parents can contact class teachers and/or teaching assistants during the school day.  Appointments with the Headteacher and/or SENCo or class teacher can be made via the school office.

Dealing with Complaints

• If a parent of a pupil with SEND is concerned about the provision that school is making for them, they should, in the first instance, refer the matter to the pupil’s class teacher and/or the SENCo.
• Reference should be made to the school’s Complaints Policy should further action be deemed necessary.  We aim to deal with any complaints at the earliest opportunity but within 20 days at the latest (In accordance with the Complaints Policy).

Bullying

• The school’s Anti-Bullying Policy is available from the website or the school office.
• Further details about how the school keeps children with SEND safe can be found in the Local Offer.

REVIEW Date:

REVIEW Date:

The policy will be reviewed annually

Signed: J.Embley-Peers (Head teacher)

Signed: P.Skupski (Chair of Governors)

Date: 13.09.2023   Reviewed by Curriculum Committee 17.10.2023

Next review:  October 2024